Stellantis C-Suite Clear-out for Post-Tavares EraStellantis C-Suite Clear-out for Post-Tavares Era

Stellantis sweeps out the old guard in an executive restructuring heralding a new era for the automaker still seeking a replacement CEO for Carlos Tavares.

While the hunt for a new company head is “well under way,” according to Chairman John Elkann, four brand heads have been replaced.

Jeep brand appoints Bob Broderdorf as CEO, replacing Antonio Filosa, who will continue to oversee all Stellantis U.S. brands, including Jeep, as chief operating officer for the North Americas regions. Filosa, seen as a candidate for group CEO, takes on the additional role of global chief for quality.

Alain Favey is made head of the Peugeot brand, replacing long-serving Linda Jackson who is retiring. Xavier Peugeot is appointed to lead the DS Automobiles brand and Anne Abboud inherits Stellantis' Pro One commercial vehicles unit from Jean-Philippe Imparato, who has been leading Stellantis' European operations since October.

As part of the reorganization, the group integrates its software and engineering activities under chief engineering and technology officer Ned Curic, while chief software officer Yves Bonnefont, a veteran of both Stellantis and previously Peugeot owner PSA, is leaving the group.

The moves are seen as creating even greater distance from the business strategies employed by Tavares, who fell out of favor with the company's board and made an early exit from his role after a 2024 slump in revenues largely blamed on his over-ambitious sales expectations both in Europe and the U.S.

Stellantis also says it is decentralizing some of the company's power base by delegating more authority to its regions to enhance local decision-making and execution capabilities for product planning, product development, industrial and commercial activities.

Elkann says,“Today's announcements will further simplify our organization and increase our local agility and rigor of execution.”